


follow the tides

by ivelostmyspectacles



Category: The Magnus Archives (Podcast)
Genre: 5+1 Things, Developing Relationship, M/M, Marriage Proposal, Romantic Friendship, it kinda starts out with them being young and stupid and culminates in a projected end of tma way, minor mentioned Peter/Martin, so that's the timeline LOL
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-09-17
Updated: 2019-09-17
Packaged: 2020-10-20 13:42:14
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,152
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20676332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ivelostmyspectacles/pseuds/ivelostmyspectacles
Summary: Peter proposes, and Elias just smiles.





	follow the tides

**1.**

“We should get married.”

If anyone else were listening, the declaration might have been startling. But it was for lesser men; Elias rolled his eyes and took the joint back from Peter.

“Yeah, right.” He took a hit, and dropped his head back against the rooftop. Seemed to think about it for a minute, then handed it back to Peter.

“Honestly? I propose to you in the most romantic place possible–”

“You didn’t propose,” Elias interrupted. “You said we should get married. And if you think sprawled out on top your shitty rooftop is _ romantic…” _

“We’re under the _ stars, _ Elias! Anyway, it’s always going to be us, you know. No one else to handle the Entities with. We’re _ stuck.” _

“Oh, and isn’t that just fucking _ fantastic.” _

Peter snorted, a cloud of smoke and the stars blurring in the sky above.

**2.**

“I still think we should get married.”

_ “I _ think you should get on the boat.”

“A goodbye kiss?”

Elias had a _ look– _ Peter blamed it on the Sight– the kind of look up through his eyelashes with just the amount of disdain like the person speaking was an _ utter _ moron, and that was the precise look he gave Peter after that little comment.

“Elias, I _ am _ going to be gone for a _ long _ time,” Peter continued.

“You’re _ already _ gone a lot.”

“True! But never far.”

Elias clicked his tongue, finally slipping his phone back into his pocket. “Very well, then.”

Peter was beaming, after the kiss, and “think on that marriage thing, for when I get back!”

“I’ll think _ something _ about it.” A promise, inasmuch as it went.

**3.**

“Decide to marry me yet??”

Fresh off his return to England, still in the same clothes reeking of sea life and brine… Elias didn’t particularly think it was the best way to approach the situation. He said as much. “I’m amused you think this particular display will rouse me _ towards _ marriage, and not away from it.” He glanced up from work reports. “Do tell me you aren’t getting mud on my carpets.”

“I’ve been at _ sea, _ not stomping through a _ bog, _ Elias.” He grinned, bracing both hands on the table to lean over it. “I see you haven’t changed since I left!”

“Neither have you. Well,” Elias added, reaching up, settling his hand along the beard at Peter’s jaw, “this _ is _ new.”

“You like it, then, huh?”

“… no,” Elias said lightly, and dropped his hand. The smile was tiny– feeble, quick, taunting– but there.

“You _ wound _ me.” Peter straightened up. “Right. I’m back, you won’t marry me, so I’m going to have a shower and we’re going to fuck.”

_ “Are _ we, then?”

“We are,” Peter promised, and Elias only scoffed a laugh when he was out of the room.

**4.**

“As much as it’ll pain you to hear, we really _ should _ get married now.”

“I’ve been _ arrested, _ Peter, not threatened with deportation.”

“Nonetheless.” Peter sat on the foot of the prison bed, looking at him contemplatively. “It’s not going to hurt anything. We could have a wedding in the in-between and be back before the wardens do their rounds.”

An eyeroll, and Elias leaned back against the wall. “You just want half of the Institute.”

“Elias, dear heart, I have _ all _ of the Institute.”

“For now.”

“For now,” Peter agreed. “But I’d give it all up for you, you know.”

“Oh, I know.”

**5.**

“Marry me.”

“You think _ now’s _ the best time?”

“We’ve set the world on fire, I’m afraid I can’t give you much more by ways of _ grand gestures.” _

“Shouldn’t we be _ slightly _ more focused on The Extinction right now?”

“I’m very focused. Besides, Martin did the hard part.”

“Yes… thanks for that.”

“Oh, you didn’t like him, anyway.”

“He was easy to manipulate, thus, a good investment. I knew what I was doing with him.”

“It doesn’t matter now.” Peter sighed. _ “Listen, _ as much as I enjoyed my time with Martin, he can’t hold a candle in The Dark to you.”

“Charming way to defend an affair,” Elias remarked, off-handedly.

“‘I knew what I was doing with him,’” Peter replied firmly. “It was purely business. I’ve only–”

“Got Eyes for me?” Elias interrupted.

Peter beamed, and the firelight flickering reflected in his gaze. “Oh, I do.”

**\+ 1**

It wasn’t how Elias had expected to spend the rest of eternity, but then, he supposed they ended where they began: together. Sans marijuana this time, but… well. Being at sea wasn’t half as bad as Elias had expected.

Though he wouldn’t say _ no _ to the pot, if Peter had had a joint.

“Tea,” Peter announced, ducking out of the stateroom. “Told you I’d only be a moment.”

“Why tea, again?” Elias asked, taking the mug. It was complete with a repeating pattern of anchors, and had a chip out of the bottom.

“Ah. Picked up the habit when I was at the Institute, didn’t I?”

“Oh, right. Martin.”

“It’s quite soothing, though, isn’t it?”

“Hmm.”

The air smelled of salt, and the wind was cool, ruffling his hair as he leaned against the taffrail. The heat from the mug was contrast, opposite to the wind and faint spray of the ocean when the waves got choppy. 

… it truly wasn’t as bad as he had expected it to be.

“I suppose,” he allowed, and took a drink of his tea.

“I’ll make a seaman out of you yet, you old codger.”

“You just wanted to say semen.”

“I’m _ offended.” _

“I’ve been offended my entire life,” Elias murmured, and lowered his mug. So many things had been decided for him so long ago, right down to what he could See and what actions he could take. Even things he hadn’t expected… and perhaps things he didn’t mind.

“Yes,” he said, and Peter looked up, curious.

“Beg pardon?”

“Yes– and I’m aware this may very well be moot now, but it still stands– I’ll marry you. And,” he added, as Peter _ stared, _ “if we never make it off this boat, we've been tethered to each other for some time, regardless. Right?” he asked, a little dry.

Peter straightened up, reaching to set aside his mug. “You’re _ serious?” _ he asked.

“No, Peter. It was all a joke. I’m not actually here. I died three hundred years ago.”

Peter laughed, loud and echoing and _ thrilled. _ “Yeah, you mentioned. Does this mean we get to call each other _ husband?” _

“We’re not married yet.”

“True, but the proper thing might never happen.”

“… true,” Elias agreed begrudgingly. “Fine. Sparingly, if you’d please.”

“Of course. Mr _ Lukas.” _

_ “Absolutely _not.”

“Oh, _ fine,” _ Peter pouted. “Mr Bouchard-Lukas.”

Elias groaned, turning his face back into his mug of tea.

He didn’t know what he’d just signed up for, but… then he never had. And the time for change had come and gone. As Peter would say, time to follow the tides.

Maybe, like this, it wouldn’t be quite so bad at all.

**Author's Note:**

> I wasn't gonna post because I wrote this as a silly quick thank-you for emperio but what the hell, here it is anyway. also I have no idea if deportation works that way in the uk but again, quick and silly xP enjoy the lonelyeyes nonetheless 👌


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